Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old Florida teenager who was shot on the chest by a neighbourhood watch captain George Zimmerman. On a night in February, Trayvon was returning home after shopping some ice tea and a bag of skittles at a nearby 7/11 just before the NBA all-star game.

Apparently, Zimmerman observed what he considered a suspicious behaviour on seeing Trayvon speak on the phone with his girfriend and wearing a hood, "up to no good", "on drugs on something", in Zimmerman's own words. It is diffcult to know what happened after their encounter as some calls report hearing soeone calling for help. When the police arrived Trayvon was dead with a shot in his chest.

the problem is that Zimmerman is still free and has not been detained or investigated for what could be a homicide, which has aroused growing anger not only in Trayvon's community but also across the US. It i important to add that a Miami law allows the use of deadly force if allegedly under threat. That is why Zimmerman is pleading self-defence. However, it is not the first time that black people is shot by police or other kinds of patrolling agents.

It has been reported that "justifiable" homicides in the US have rose to over 100 in 2010, which is attributed by many to the controversial law.